So you’ve realized it is time to see the world.
“The world is a book and if you’ve only spent your time in one country you’ve read a total of one chapter”
The first international trip will burn an image in your brain for the rest of your life. You certainly won’t forget it. With that said a lot of mistakes will be made so lets try to avoid them and look at multiple countries and cities worth visiting.
Logistics: If you don’t have a centrally located apartment in the hot nightlife districts you have decreased your ability to have an awesome vacation by 75% or more. Alright no more jokes you have decreased it by 95%. You should spend your time researching each neighbourhood/venue and find where the bustling night life is and have an apartment rented no further than 5 minutes in a cab from the center of the city. Walking distance is always better.
The best way to hack logistics is by finding the most popular club in the entire city. Generally, the most popular club is always the worst club to go to because you have not carved out a niche but you will certainly be in the center of the action.
Essential Items:
1. International carry on bag – self explanatory for short trips and dreaded transfer points (always pay the extra $100-300 for a direct flight)
2. Pen – only the newbies have to ask for a pen to fill out the custom forms
3. Suit – you know from years of experience that the high end always holds the best looking people so you’re not going to get by in a t-shirt and jeans
4. Mens Kit – atthis point you have likely taken several flights and consistently notice you forget things, no more messing around. Buy a basic mens kit to stay organized
5. Chlorella – when you go international, you lose the juicer so it is imperative to cure those awful hangovers with some broken cell seaweed… Nope not a joke. This is an absolute necessity for drinkers.
6. Cash – If you’re trying to make friends fast, the worst way to do so is by loading up a credit card at the bar. Use cash to tip fast and get drinks even faster.
7. Unlocked iPhone – Say what you will about Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp but you are not going to communicate without a phone that has WhatsApp installed
Arrival Execution: This is just as important as logistics and having the right items in your bag. When you land your goal is to immediately pick up a driver (assuming you’re in a dangerous country) by paying him a few extra dollars in exchange for his cell phone number. Now two things will flip in his head, he will realize you are going to tip him well which implies you are well off so when you ask for recommendations he will send you in the right direction… to the best clubs and bars in town according to the rich locals.
Final Notes: If you have never traveled outside of the USA we suggest starting with an English speaking country. Instead of visiting Cancun and saying you have been to Mexico, try to get off the beaten path at least a tad. As much as people may say Western Europe is the same as the United States it is a good starter destination to see how well you can operate on a trip.
Lets take a look.
Western Europe
The Netherlands – Amsterdam: We’re going to place this as the #1 beginner city. A great place for a young person to take his first international trip. Why? Drugs. Joking… a little. Since the city allows drugs and alcohol the vibe in the city is much more calm. If you take a walk around town you will find everyone riding bikes and countless people at the park sipping wine, smoking and generally having a great time. Logistics are great and the safety level is equivalent or better than your typical American city.
Girls and Game: Overall your pickup/game style is going to mirror the United States. This is why the city is a great starter spot, you end up getting your feet wet if you were previously scared of international travel and you don’t have to calibrate your game one bit.
Attractions: Another good thing about Amsterdam is there are not many must see places. There are a few museums but the overall vibe, the rivers moving through the city and the people playing chess during the day, all contribute to the attraction. Side note, avoid the pancake/waffles specialty simply overdone in terms of unhealthy eating habits.
Overall Results?
Girls – are comparable to a major US city (5.5/10)
Costs – same as the USA (5/10)
Game – no major adjustments needed (10/10).
Iceland – Reykjavik: If you have money in your pocket, look no further than Reykjavik for your first destination choice. The only reason we would recommend Amsterdam over this country is cost and even then it is a tough call. For a short trip you can show up, party like you’ve never partied before, easily meet several people and never have to worry about missing anything since the population is just 300K.
Girls and Game: Everyone speaks English… so far so good. But. Remember we said it is only #2 due to cost. If you’re further in your career and have a good paying job (or business), proceed straight to Iceland. The game adjustment is real basic 1. need to have a sharp wardrobe, 2. cash to navigate the expensive drink prices and 3. an ability to stay in state until 5-7am.
Why do you need to do this? Well the hook up culture is essentially very fast, you want an apartment/hotel as close as possible to a club called “B5” and then you want to approach many girls late at night (3-6am). Usually you have a conversation with the friends, the girl may or may not like you, then she will have a quick discussion in Icelandic (you wont understand anything) and she’ll either go home with you or she won’t. Pretty standard but need to reiterate the cost will be quite high.
Attractions: Well, the major one is the Blue Lagoon. You should go. Notably when you plan your trip, try to visit when there is an event occurring during the week. There is no drinking culture excluding Fridays and Saturdays for the most part.
Ideal situation? New Years lands during the week and you get 2 weekends to party.
Overall Results?
Girls – are more attractive than in the states (7.5/10)
Costs – higher than the USA, pre-drink to save money (3/10)
Game – preparation is your ability to last longer at night and have good cash flow (8/10).
Germany – Frankfurt: This is a biased post. Going to Frankfurt was great, it is a financial capital in the country and on top of this your expectations are low. Generally when you think of Germany it is hard to imagine thin cute girls, instead the immediate image of Germany is strong burly people (thank you USA media).
Girls and Game: The good news is that practically everyone speaks English in Frankfurt. Unlike the other international destinations we see pretty quickly that the non-language issue will help. Your best bet (again this is from a short trip) is to find the major clubs and run typical American game… We can recommend cocoon.
Attractions: There are a few decent museums and film attractions to see, this is more of a business trip type destination so we would recommend checking out the GermanFilmMuseum, Museumsufer and St. Paul’s Church.
Overall Results?
Girls – are slightly better than the states (6.5/10)
Cost – is in-line with the USA (5/10)
Game – Not speaking German is certainly a disadvantage – ie you will be labelled as a short trip person which won’t help you, luckily if you have a silver tongue you can work around this as many do speak English (6.5/10).
France – Paris: Everyone goes to Paris. So we all know what that means. Paris pretty much sucks. It is a good place to check off the bucket list the EiffelTower… the LouvreMuseum… the overpriced wine… etc. The only plus side is the quality of the women. There is minimal fat acceptance. At least they understand we shouldn’t applaud people for having no self control.
Girls and Game: Overall the girls in Paris are better looking than the states, but you have the exact same issues as the USA 1. the ugly girl will generally try to block you, 2. if you find packs of girls who are all of above average quality you’ll be fine and 3. one big block is the logisitics can be horrible. Standard American game applies. The downside as mentioned is really the logistics and the group/pack mentality.
Attractions: Well we all know the basic ones, listed earlier in the summary section… But here is the official recommendation. Go during the French Open. The French open has the highest quality women you can see and in addition to that you get to do an actual fun activity. Lets be honest the Eiffel tower is tacky and overrated at this point.
Overall Results?
Girls – are better than the states (8/10)
Costs – higher than the USA (4/10)
Game – Not speaking French hurts (5/10).
Belgium – Brussels:
Don’t go here.
It sucked.
Latin America
Mexico – Guadalajara: Well you like Latin girls? You better speak some serious Spanish bro. Overall, Guadalajara is known for having many of the most attractive women in the entire country (the other section is called Sonora). The downside is that 1) you need to speak Spanish, 2) you need to go for a longer trip and 3) social circles can make or break you.
Girls and Game: The city is fairly spread out but lets cut to the chase… Get an apartment in Chapultapec. Unlike the USA, the hookup culture is not engrained. In the USA it is okay to go on spring break and hook up with 5+ people in a week… Good luck with that strategy in Guadalajara. You should have a solid foundation of day game and night game and you can try the following spots:
Day Game – Commercial Andares, Guadalajara Zoo, Centro (near GuadalajaraUniversity)
Night Game – The Lobby, Lola Lolita, Lucrecia, Chapultapec is the main area for nightlife so spend time checking many places to find your vibe/spot
Attractions: There are quite a few decent attractions but the problem is the city is “slow”. Most Latin American countries are slow in general so it is something you need to get used to. You can run day game and see the Cathedral, you can check out the zoo and at the same time you can check out the Zapopan district.
Overall Results?
Girls – are better than the states (8/10)
Costs – are lower than the USA (8/10)
Game – Not speaking Spanish is a death sentence (4/10).
Mexico – Mexico City: Why isn’t this combined with Guadalajara? Simple. Mexico City is essentially as packed as New York. The good thing is this means the speed of the city is higher and there are more English speaking people in the city. The downside? The girls are a bit less attractive and you have to stay in the more expensive areas. Polanco.
Girls and Game: You can certainly pull off some American style game if your Spanish is solid. Simply go to the following locations for your classic day game needs: 1) CarlosSlimMuseum, 2) Chapultapec park, 3) Antara mall. For night game, you can actually run in solo as well, you can check out 1) Ragga, 2) JoyRoom, 3) Sens, 4) Pata Negra (condesa). Overall you need to run classic Latin American girl game which means there is no need to sexualize the conversation, you should have good Spanish and of course it is always good to be a smooth dancer. Don’t forget the cologne.
Attractions: Well we listed them above… Carlos slim museum (see our twitter for a photo) and the Chapultapec park (it is large). Overall there are many many things to see in Mexico city unlike other Latin countries, so have a blast.
Overall Results?
Girls – are better than the states (8/10)
Costs – are lower than the USA (8/10)
Game – Not speaking Spanish is a death sentence (4/10).
Brazil – Rio De Janeiro: Do you prefer women with curves? No not the fake curves you see on TV, real skinny girls with curvy bodies? Go straight to Brazil (spelled Brasil in the country itself). The city of Rio is hands down the prettiest city on the list we have outlined here. It is not even close. As they say there are two men in the world
“Those that have never been to brazil and those that are trying to go back”
Girls and Game: There is a reason why Brazilian guys are generally aggressive when it comes to women. This is the culture. The big game adjustment is that you are expected to kiss the girl within a few minutes of meeting her once you gather she likes you already.
In addition… You better be ripped. If you are out of shape or fat… Well you have no chance particularly with beach game. Finally, Portuguese is not necessary but would help, you’re going to have to shoot for the girls who speak English already.
Attractions: Wow. There is no where to begin. The entire city itself is an attraction. With that said here are some quick ones: Sugarloaf Mountain and Christo (the statue provides breathtaking views).
Overall Results?
Girls – are better than the states (7.5/10)
Costs – are higher than the USA (4/10)
Game – you will need to adjust your game no doubt but it is worth it (7/10).
Colombia – Medellin and Cali: Similar to GDL you better be speaking some smooth Spanish. Smooth. You can’t come to Colombia and have a good time with mediocre to bad Spanish skills. Write that one down.
Secondly, you’ll notice we’re combining two cities into one for the first time. Why? It gives a good broad overview of the actual culture in Colombia which is this 1) Spanish is necessary, 2) Social circle is king and 3) You better have cash since many of them prefer a man of means.
Girls and Game: Simply put if you’re not willing to learn the language or stay for a longer trip (1 month or so) you’re going to be hurtin for certain in Colombia. What you need to do is meet women during the day and invite them out to salsa dance (definitely don’t bet on the one night stand but you can try).
One extra important game tip? Since nightlife is heavily social circle based you only want to go out at night with a girl you’ve already met during the day. Avoid going to high end night life venues solo and instead wait until you’ve built up some solid contacts. If you’re there for a short trip then definitely do both but realize the long-term game is better in Colombia.
Attractions: Overall Cali and Medellin are night and day here. Medellin has more things to do and see but the women are more likely to stick to social circles while Cali is the reverse where it is easier to meet women and there is less to do. If you want a few quick line items here you go.
Medellin – Botanical Gardens, Paragliding and Pablo Escobar’s Grave ßGreat book!
CaliColombia – Much less, the zoo, sugar factory and ChipichapePlaza
Overall Results?
Girls – are better than the states (8.5/10)
Costs – are lower than the USA (7/10)
Game – Not speaking Spanish is a death sentence (3/10).
Asia & India
India –Goa: Outside of some initial culture shock (i.e. wild/nomadic cows, families of 4 on a Vespa-like scooter for daily transport, underdeveloped infrastructure, stark communication barriers), the experience in Goa provides for decent retreat with balance of breathtaking views (Arabian sea), a social atmosphere, and party life. Cost is very affordable, especially given the devaluation of the Rupee vs. the dollar in the past 12-months. I believe a proper trip to Goa would be in the 4-6 day range split between South Goa (leisure) and North Goa (party).
Girls and Game: Firstly, North Goa and South Goa are very different. North Goa’s nightlife is almost entirely limited to resorts. However, that said within the resorts you’ll find large groups of people for different occasions (weddings, trips, etc.). In general, it is very easy to meet new people and to co-mingle groups. So while South Goa is on the more “couple-side”, do not be fooled, it is also very good for meeting hoards of single (or so they say) people within and outside those groups. Stay at a larger resort (perhaps inquire about weddings/events ahead of time) and you’ll be in for a good experience.
Bottom-line? With those beaches, I think everyone would entertain the idea of a South Goa fling.
Regarding North Goa…well dang! It’s certainly a nice treat with lots of international visitors as well as attractive natives who are visiting from Mumbai on a quick weekend or business trip. The atmosphere is definitely geared more towards the younger crowd, as the 18+ clubs would suggests. In my view LPK (love, passion karma) and Club Cubana are the best options. Club Cabana says open till sunrise, so you can hop around to other bars/night clubs and make a late entrance.
Attractions: Beaches, beaches and beaches. Get the full experience and rent a scooter to tour the area. It’s worth seeing the contrast of landscape in Goa and some historical sights. Be cautious of where you eat, as you are increasingly susceptible to food positioning. I was mainly a pescetarian for this trip.
Overall Results?
Girls – easier than vs. USA given influx of travelers (7.5/10)
Costs – combined with views and scenery (7/10)
Game – minimal barriers, but some conversational issues (7/10)
Thailand –Bangkok: Get ready to lose yourself. I will start by saying this trip was my biggest surprise (Thailand in whole). There is simply too much to enjoy here…and yes I am speaking organically. Large fun international presence, friendly local people (always smiling, helpful), fantastic cheap food, beautiful weather (at the right time) and plenty of history/attractions. Civil unrests aside, the return on investment here is too attractive to ignore. The city itself is fully developed and modernized, with on-going infrastructure expansion. It leaves you asking, “why don’t I have money invested here?”
Girls and Game: To (again) clear the air, I am speaking on an organic basis (i.e. sans pay for any type of service). The hotel we stayed centrally located on Sukhumvit Soi 11 which is littered with open-top VW converted bars (outside), night clubs and your usual watering holes. The crowd is ~40/60% mixture of international/local from our experience. The international crowd included Russia, Europe, Canada, India, U.S., N.Z., Australia and neighboring countries. The local crowd brings in a few of your stock standard “lady boys” and non-organic patrons, but most are regular thai’s looking to have fun with their friends. The environment is crowded and people are usually open to dialogue. English is rather ubiquitous here. I would characterize the guys as more on the passive (vs. aggressive side) ironically, considering the global talent. So entertain a girl properly and you should see success. The barriers seem mostly removed in comparison to U.S. Stick with clubs, take them for good local late night soup, and invite them back. It was honestly that simple. I’ve learned that in general, and it may be a function of the influence of thai culture, physical expression is certainly far more welcomed in Bangkok.
Attractions: Thai kick boxing (sit front row, it’s only $60!), temples, food, outlandish malls, did I mention food?, floating markets, endless shopping and meet the locals!
Overall Results?
Girls – easier than vs. USA given influx of travelers (10/10)
Costs – soup for $1.20, coffee for $0.40 (10/10)
Game – Communication barriers (8.5/10, aka non-existent)
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Well this is getting a bit tiring, we will add more places to visit in the future if there are requests but when we get the time we will add some Eastern Europe/Russia to the mix and maybe even a sprinkle of Morocco. More importantly…
What about you guys? Places that need to be seen? Avoided? Please chime in.
